Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is an examination conducting body of the Government of India which conducts the prestigious CIVIL SERVICES EXAMINATION across the country. The exam is divided into three parts - Preliminary, Mains Examinations and Personality Test. After passing through all the stages, the candidate is allotted a particular service vis-a-vis IAS, IPS, IRS, IFS etc according to his/her rank from among the 24 services. He is also allotted a particular cadre (state), which becomes his/her home state. All the candidates who qualify for the UPSC CIVIL SERVICES EXAMINATION are class I officers to the Govt. of India.
Preliminary Examination
Mains Examination
Personality Test
Preliminary Examination
| SR. NO. | NAME OF THE PAPER | MARKS | TOTAL TIME ALLOTED |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PAPER-1 GENERAL STUDIES | 200 MARKS | 2 HOUIRS |
| 2 | PAPER-2 CSAT | 200 MARKS | 2 HOUIRS |
- Both the question papers will be of the objective type (multiple choice paper)
- The Paper-II(CSAT) of the Civil Services (Preliminary ) examination will be a qualifying paper with a minimum qualifying marks fixed at 33%
- The question papers will be set in both in Hindi and English.
Mains Examination
| PAPER | NAME OF THE PAPER | TOTAL TIME ALLOTED | MARKS |
|---|---|---|---|
| PAPER 1 | ESSAY | 3 HOURS | 250 |
| PAPER 2 | GENERAL STUDIES 1 | 3 HOURS | 250 |
| PAPER 3 | GENERAL STUDIES 2 | 3 HOURS | 250 |
| PAPER 4 | GENERAL STUDIES 3 | 3 HOURS | 250 |
| PAPER 5 | GENERAL STUDIES 4 | 3 HOURS | 250 |
| PAPER 6 | OPTIONAL SUBJECT PAPER 1 | 3 HOURS | 250 |
| PAPER 7 | OPTIONAL SUBJECT PAPER 2 | 3 HOURS | 250 |
| TOTAL MARKS FOR MERIT | 1750 | ||
| QUALIFYING PAPER-1 | PAPER-A REGIONAL LANGUAGE | 3 HOURS | 300 |
| QUALIFYING PAPER-2 | PAPER-B ENGLISH | 3 HOURS | 300 |
- The papers on English and Indian languages (Paper A and Paper B) will be of matriculation or equivalent standards and will be of qualifying nature. The marks obtained in these papers will not be counted for merit.
- Evaluation of the paper, namely, Essay, General Studies’ and Optional Subjects of all the candidates would be done simultaneously along with evaluation of their qualifying papers on English and Indian languages but the papers on Essay, General Studies’ and Optional Subjects of any such candidates will be taken cognizance who attain 25% marks in English and 25% in Indian languages as minimum qualifying standards in these qualifying papers.
- Marks obtained by the candidates for the Papers 1 to 7 only will be counted for merit. However, the commission will have the discretion to fix qualifying marks in any or all of the papers.
Personality Test
- Interview will carry 275 marks (With no minimum qualifying marks)
- The candidate will be interviewed by a Board who will have before them a record of his career. He/ She will be asked questions on matters of general interest. The object of the interview is to assess the personal suitability of the candidate for a career in public service by a Board of competent and unbiased observers. The test is intended to judge the mental calibre of a candidate. In broad terms, this is really an assessment of not only his/her intellectual qualities but also social traits and his/her interest in current affairs. Some of the qualities to be judged are mental alertness, critical power of assimilation, clear and logical exposition, balance of judgement, variety and depth of interest, ability for social cohesion and leadership, intellectual and moral integrity.
- The technique of the interview is not that of a strict cross – examination but of a natural, though directed and purposive conversation which is intended to reveal the mental qualities of the candidate.
- The interview test is not intended to be a test either of specialized or general knowledge of the candidates which has been already tested through their written papers. Candidates are expected to have taken an intelligent interest not only in their special subjects of academic study but also in the events which are happening around them both within and outside their own state or country as well as in modern currents of thought and in new discoveries which would rouse the curiosity of well educated youth.
Preliminary Examination
| SR. NO. | NAME OF THE PAPER | MARKS | TOTAL TIME ALLOTED |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PAPER-1 GENERAL STUDIES | 200 MARKS | 2 HOUIRS |
| 2 | PAPER-2 CSAT | 200 MARKS | 2 HOUIRS |
- Both the question papers will be of the objective type (Multiple choice question)
- The Paper-II(CSAT) of the Civil Services (Preliminary ) Examination will be a qualifying paper with a minimum qualifying marks fixed at 33%
- The question papers will be set in both in Hindi and English.
- It is mandatory for the candidate to appear in both the papers of the examination for the purpose of evaluation.
Main Examination
| PAPER | NAME OF THE PAPER | TOTAL TIME ALLOTED | MARKS |
|---|---|---|---|
| PAPER 1 | ESSAY | 3 HOURS | 250 |
| PAPER 2 | GENERAL STUDIES 1 | 3 HOURS | 250 |
| PAPER 3 | GENERAL STUDIES 2 | 3 HOURS | 250 |
| PAPER 4 | GENERAL STUDIES 3 | 3 HOURS | 250 |
| PAPER 5 | GENERAL STUDIES 4 | 3 HOURS | 250 |
| PAPER 6 | OPTIONAL SUBJECT PAPER 1 | 3 HOURS | 250 |
| PAPER 7 | OPTIONAL SUBJECT PAPER 2 | 3 HOURS | 250 |
| TOTAL MARKS FOR MERIT | 1750 | ||
| QUALIFYING PAPER-1 | PAPER-A REGIONAL LANGUAGE | 3 HOURS | 300 |
| QUALIFYING PAPER-2 | PAPER-B ENGLISH | 3 HOURS | 300 |
- The papers on Indian language and English (Paper A and Paper B) will be of matriculation or equivalent standards and will be of qualifying nature. The marks obtained in these papers will not be counted for merit.
- Evaluation of the paper, namely, Essay, General Studies’ and Optional Subjects of all the candidates would be done simultaneously along with evaluation of their qualifying papers on English and Indian languages but the papers on Essay, General Studies’ and Optional Subjects of any such candidates will be taken cognizance who attain 25% marks in English and 25% in Indian languages as minimum qualifying standards in these qualifying papers.
- Marks obtained by the candidates for Papers 1 to 7 only will be counted for merit. However, the commission will have the discretion to fix qualifying marks in any or all of the papers.
Personality Test
- Interview will carry 275 marks (With no minimum qualifying marks)
- The candidate will be interviewed by a Board who will have before them a record of his career. He/ She will be asked questions on matters of general interest. The object of the interview is to assess the personal suitability of the candidate for a career in public service by a Board of competent and unbiased observers. The test is intended to judge the mental calibre of a candidate. In broad terms, this is really an assessment of not only his/her intellectual qualities but also social traits and his/her interest in current affairs. Some of the qualities to be judged are mental alertness, critical power of assimilation, clear and logical exposition, balance of judgement, variety and depth of interest, ability for social cohesion and leadership, intellectual and moral integrity.
- The technique of the interview is not that of a strict cross – examination but of a natural, though directed and purposive conversation which is intended to reveal the mental qualities of the candidate.
- The interview test is not intended to be a test either of specialized or general knowledge of the candidates which has been already tested through their written papers. Candidates are expected to have taken an intelligent interest not only in their special subjects of academic study but also in the events which are happening around them both within and outside their own state or country as well as in modern currents of thought and in new discoveries which would rouse the curiosity of well educated youth.
List of Optional Subjects for Paper 6 and 7
Candidates may choose any one optional subject from the list given below.
| Agriculture | Management | Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science. | Mathematics | Mathematics |
| Mechanical Engineering | Botany | Medical Science | Chemistry | Philosophy |
| Philosophy | Commerce & Accountancy | Political Science and International Relation | Physics | Economics |
| Psychology | Electrical Engineering | Public Administration | Geography | Sociology |
| Zoology | Law | Geology | Statistics | History |
LANGUAGES
Literature of Any One of The Following Languages (for Paper A)
| Assamese | Manipuri | Dogri | Oriya | Hindi |
| Sindhi (Devanagari) | Konkani | Urdu | Malayalam | Bodo |
| Nepali | Gujarati | Sanskrit | Kashmiri | Telugu |
| Bengali | Marathi | English | Punjabi | Kannada |
| Tamil | Maithili |
Eligibility Criteria
Nationality
Age Limit
Educational Qualification
Number of attempts (within respective age limits):
Nationality
For Indian administrative service, Indian Foreign Service, & Indian Police Service
- A candidate must be a citizen of India.
For other services
- A candidate must be a citizen of India/ Nepal/Bhutan.
- A Tibetan refugee who came over to India before 1st January, 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India. or
- A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.
Age Limit
You should be at least 21 year of age to sit in the Civil Services Examination. Further, you can give your valid number of attempts till you attain the age of 32 years. (Relaxations described below excluded)
SC/ST : 5 YEARS
OBC : 3 YEARS
DEFENCE PERSONAL : 3 YEARS
EX-SERVICEMEN : 5 YEARS
Blindness and low vision, deaf and hard of hearing, locomotor disability including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims and muscular dystrophy, autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability, mental illness and multiple disabilities including deaf blindness. : 10 YEARS
Educational Qualification
The candidate must hold degree or and equivalent qualification from recognized university by an act of parliament.
Number of attempts (within respective age limits):
GENERAL : 6
OBC : 9
SC/ST : ANY (TILL AGE LIMIT )
Nationality
| For Indian administrative service, Indian Foreign Service, & Indian Police Service | • A candidate must be a citizen of India. |
| For other services | • A candidate must be a citizen of India/ Nepal/Bhutan. • A Tibetan refugee who came over to India before 1st January, 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India. or • A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India. |
Age limit & No.s of attempt
| Age | No.s of attempt | |
|---|---|---|
| General | 32 | 6 |
| OBC | 35 | 9 |
| SC/ST | 37 | Unlimited (Up to age limit) |
| Disabled Defence Services Personnel | 35 | 9 |
| Ex-Servicemen | 37 | 9 |
| Persons with Benchmark Disability – EWS (Economically weaker section) | 42 | 9 |
Educational Qualification
- The candidate must hold degree or an equivalent qualification from recognized university by an act of parliament.
Book-List
| SUBJECTS | BOOKS |
|---|---|
| HISTORY | 1. India’s Ancient Past by R.S. Sharma 2. History of Medieval India (800–1700 AD) by Satish Chandra 3. History of Modern India by Bipin Chandra 4. India’s Struggle for Independence by Bipin Chandra & Others 5. India After Independence (1947 – 2000) by Bipin Chandra |
| WORLD HISTORY | 1. The Story of Civilization, Part 2 by Arjun Dev, NCERT 2. Contemporary World History for class XII (Old NCERT) |
| ART AND CULTURE | 1. INTRODUCTION TO INDIAN ART, NCERT STD 11 2. NITIN SIGHANIYA |
| GEOGRAPHY | 1. FUNDAMENTAL OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY PART-1, NCERT STD 11 2. INDIAN PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, NCERT STD 11 3. INDIA- PEOPLE AND ECONOMY, NCERT STD 12 4. PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY BY G C LEONG 5. PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY BY MJID HUSSAIN 6. INDIAN GEOGRAPHY BY D. R. KHULLAR |
| INDIAN POLITY | 1. DEMOCRATIC POLITICS PART-1: NCERT STD 9 2. DEMOCRATIC POLITICS PART-2: NCERT STD 10 3. INDIAN CONSTITUTION AT WORK, NCERT STD 11 4. POLITICS IN INDIA SINCE INDEPENDENCE, NCERT STD 12 5. CONTEMPORARY WORLD POLITICS, NCERT STD 12 6. INDIAN POLITY BY M LAKSHMIKANTH 7. THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA BY P M BAKSHI |
| INDIAN ECONOMY | 1. INDIAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, NCERT STD 11 2. MACR OECONOMICS, NCERT STD 12 3. INDIAN ECONOM BY RAMESH SINGH 4. BUDGET OF THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA 5. ECONOMIC SUTVEY OF THE GOVERNMENT OF INDA |
| GENERAL SCIENCE | 1. NCERT STD 6 TO 10 |
| ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY | 1. ENVIRONMENT BY SHANKAR IAS |
| CURRENT AFFAIRS | 1. THE HINDU NEWSPAPER 2. INDIAN EXPRESS NEWSPAPER 3. YOJANA MAGAZINE 4. KURUKSHETRA MAGAZINE 5. DOWN TO EARTH MAGAZINE 6. INDIA YEAR BOOK |
- DEMOCRATIC POLITICS PART-1: NCERT STD 9
- DEMOCRATIC POLITICS PART-2: NCERT STD 10
- INDIAN CONSTITUTION AT WORK, NCERT STD 11
- POLITICS IN INDIA SINCE INDEPENDENCE, NCERT STD 12
- CONTEMPORARY WORLD POLITICS, NCERT STD 12
- INDIAN POLITY BY M LAKSHMIKANTH
- THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA BY P M BAKSHI
- FUNDAMENTAL OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY PART-1, NCERT STD 11
- INDIAN PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, NCERT STD 11
- INDIA- PEOPLE AND ECONOMY, NCERT STD 12
- PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY BY G C LEONG
- PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY BY MJID HUSSAIN
- INDIAN GEOGRAPHY BY D. R. KHULLAR
- INDIAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, NCERT STD 11
- MACR OECONOMICS, NCERT STD 12
- INDIAN ECONOM BY RAMESH SINGH
- BUDGET OF THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
- ECONOMIC SUTVEY OF THE GOVERNMENT OF INDA
- India’s Ancient Past by R.S. Sharma
- History of Medieval India (800–1700 AD) by Satish Chandra
- History of Modern India by Bipin Chandra
- India’s Struggle for Independence by Bipin Chandra & Others
- India After Independence (1947 – 2000) by Bipin Chandra
- INTRODUCTION TO INDIAN ART, NCERT STD 11
- NITIN SIGHANIYA
- NCERT STD 6 TO 10
- ENVIRONMENT BY SHANKAR IAS
- THE HINDU NEWSPAPER
- INDIAN EXPRESS NEWSPAPER
- YOJANA MAGAZINE
- KURUKSHETRA MAGAZINE
- DOWN TO EARTH MAGAZINE
- INDIA YEAR BOOK
- The Story of Civilization, Part 2 by Arjun Dev, NCERT
- Contemporary World History for class XII (Old NCERT)